Garage storage area almost completed

 Need a bunch of small stuff done, but useable.

Finished Thursday by assembling the frames for the grid.  Glued and nailed ( 2 at each connections)  half lap inside dadoes.  Probably a tad overkill :-)

Being my last task of the day I was getting a bit tired.  I had to remember to cut shorth one side of the half lapped pieces to clear the dadoes up front of grid frame.

First I layout carefully all my pieces of frames on the man cave floor then piled them up in order to be taken to garage for a trim.  I was worried about mixing my piles.  Not that it would had matter, they all fit everywhere...

Took two piles up, cut one, then for some reason brought back down both piles and proceed to assemble first frame. Work great, move on to next one... Took me until the third piece to realized I forgot to trim that pile.  Was tired, my story, sticking to it :-)

First two being already glued and nailed, I left them alone, the third one I trimmed first and trimmed all the others at same time. Finished all 4 frame and resolved to fixed booboo next day.

By Thursday nite I had finished the platform,

making room inside garage and 

 assembled all the grid  frames.

First order of business was moving the frames to garage and seeing how it fit and how much room I will need to assemble.

That would work but I need more space to work

Then figured out how to fix last night booboo.

Mark depth then cut a series of  slots.

Then chisel out, staying away from baseline, then pare to it.

Repeat for the other one.

Then we get to the fun part.  How am I going to assemble that by myself in that space???

Made two spacer gauges (20 inches) to ensure I am keeping everything square, 

nailed a few temporary strips to help.

That was a lot of contortions in and out of that frame to measure and secure.

I was going to cut my French cleats pieces (2) but instead used those boards

 to secured the rear of frame from the inside in order to give it 

the rigidity needed to flip it up.

Tried to pull it up, quickly gave up that idea and waited for Jean to return :-)

With her help we pulled it up on the platform.

Stands flat, no rocking and level. 

 It will eventually be secured to wall, but it will need to be moved to paint wall in back.

Cannot paint now, temps inside garage oscillate between minus 10 C to plus 5C.

Checked the old stairs for fit.  Better fit than the stairs risers I bought.

Was going to cut them shorter, but Jean want to keep that size.

Will simply reinforced, but they have lasted since 1976, so....

They are technically wider than 36 inch so requires middle support.

Put on a few scrap boards to load it.  

Desperately need more space around garage :-)

This side will be covered in plywood to becomes usable storage space.

Now to figured out the railings.

The recycling boxes are in the way and need relocating higher.

Used my left over boards to start framing it.

have not decided on what I'll do yet, but safe for now.

Garbage can will go in that corner.

Where I quitted last night.

Left to do: 

- Reinforced and finish installing the stairs.

- Cut and install trim under plywood edge of platform

- Cut and install boards inside grid cubicles.  Did not installed cleats, have a new plan.

- Figured out and finish railings.  Was thinking make it removable for ease of loading inside house??

- Figured out what to do with platform flooring.  Maybe wait until I do office floor  and buy extra??

But first badly need another round of cleaning, downsizing and turfing.  Garbage/recyclable pick up is next Tuesday.

Bob, seeing the light at the end of that tunnel.  Should see more of the garage floor soon :-)